Benjamin J. Hill
|death_date= |birth_place=McMinnville, Tennessee |death_place=McMinnville, Tennessee |placeofburial=McMinnville, Tennessee |allegiance= |branch=Confederate States Army |serviceyears=1861–1865 |rank= Brigadier General, CSA |unit= |battles=American Civil War }} Benjamin Jefferson Hill (June 13, 1825 – January 5, 1880) was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War. Before the war, he was a merchant and served in the Tennessee Senate. After the war, he was a merchant, lawyer and president of the McMinnville and Manchester Railroad. Early life Benjamin Jefferson Hill was born on June 13, 1825 in McMinnville, Tennessee.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. p. 296Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 0-8071-0823-5. pp. 135-136 He was a successful merchant and Tennessee state senator from 1855 until the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.Faust, Patricia L. "Hill, Benjamin Jefferson" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ISBN 978-0-06-273116-6. p. 361 American Civil War Benjamin J. Hill began his Civil War service as colonel of the 5th Tennessee Volunteers in the Provisional Army of Tennessee. He resigned to enter Confederate States Army service as colonel of the 35th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, which was the designation given to the 5th Tennessee Volunteers when they were mustered into Confederate service. Hill's regiment was assigned to the brigade of Brigadier General Patrick Cleburne and fought at the Battle of Shiloh. Hill served under Cleburne until Cleburne was killed at the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. Hill also led the regiment at the Siege of Corinth.Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 0-8160-1055-2. p. 309 Hill led his regiment in Bragg's Kentucky Campaign, in which they initiated the attack at the Battle of Richmond, and at the Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro). Hill led Cleburne's brigade at Richmond and at the Battle of Perryville after Cleburne was wounded in those battles.Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published New York, McKay, 1959. pp. 400-401 Hill also was wounded at Richmond. Hill and his regiment also fought at the Battle of Chickamauga and in the Chattanooga Campaign, including the unsuccessful defense of Missionary Ridge, where they were consolidated with the 48th Tennessee Infantry. Hill served as provost marshal of the Army of Tennessee between February 3, 1864 and August 23, 1864.Warner, 1959, p. 136, Faust, 1986, p. 361, and Sifakis, 1988, p. 309, state that this duty began in late 1863. Hill was promoted to brigadier general (temporary) on November 30, 1864. Although his experience had been in the infantry, Hill was transferred to Brigadier General William Hicks Jackson's division of Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps. He cooperated with Major General William Bate's division in destroying the railroad and blockhouses between Murfreesboro and Nashville near the end of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign. In the closing months of the war, he participated in Forrest's defense against Union Army Major General James H. Wilson's raid in Alabama and Georgia, in particular at the Battle of Selma. Hill was paroled at Chattanooga, Tennessee on May 16, 1865. Aftermath After the war, Hill returned to McMinnville where he again engaged in business as a merchant and practiced law. He also was president of the McMinnville and Manchester Railroad. Benjamin Jefferson Hill died January 5, 1880 at McMinnville, Tennessee and is buried in Old City Cemetery, McMinnville. See also *List of American Civil War generals (Confederate) Notes References * Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published New York, McKay, 1959. * Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. * Faust, Patricia L. "Hill, Benjamin Jefferson" in Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War, edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. ISBN 978-0-06-273116-6. * Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 0-8160-1055-2. * Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 0-8071-0823-5. Category:1825 births Category:1880 deaths Category:Confederate States Army generals Category:People of Tennessee in the American Civil War